I just closed on a house yesterday and noticed a really strong fishy smell when I visited before the closing. I initially thought it was just from cooking, but I found out the previous owners had a ton of canned cod livers stored in the basement. Now that I'm in the house, the smell seems even stronger, and I've cleaned up the kitchen area and tried using some odor eliminators, but nothing seems to help. The house doesn't have any carpet, and I can't see any signs of spillage anywhere. Has anyone experienced something like this before? Any tips on how to tackle the odor?
3 Answers
Odd smells can sometimes be from electrical issues, though you mentioned it’s not electrical. I’d definitely check that too just in case! But if you're sure it's not, sometimes odors can be trapped in the walls. A fresh coat of paint might help!
It could also be that the smell is lingering from the previous owners. If they had a lot of that fish in the house, it might have seeped into areas like the walls. I’d recommend using a primer like Killz before repainting to really seal that smell away. If there's any flooring left, cleaning or replacing it could be a good idea too.
Exactly! We had to rip out some carpet in our old place due to persistent smells and it was one of the best decisions we made.
It may just need some time to air out since it’s a new home for you. If the smell is indeed due to the fish cans, ensure there are no hidden cans or remnants left behind. Sometimes chemical sprays can just mask the smell but don’t eliminate it, so be thorough!
Yeah, make sure to check all corners of the basement! You wouldn’t believe what we found when we moved into our place.
Sounds like a good plan! We had a similar issue and painting really made a difference.